Macbook Pro causing me all kinds of Problems

[alex.purple.mac]

I got a second hand macbook pro on tuesday, it is the 13" 2010 model and is two months old. However it keeps causing me all kinds of problems, and I am not sure if it is my fault, a hardware fault or something else.

Ill describe what I've done to it; When I got it I wiped the hard drive and did a clean install of OSX, then I imported everything from my old mac through migration assistant. However when I then started using my new mac, the 'home' folder was a different name so some files didn't match up, like my dropbox account and some games. I don't know if this has caused other problems within the directories or anything like that.

It is usually fine for about 6 hours, it's pretty quick and I have been through disk utility in this time and the verify process has been ok. However after this time the it starts being REALLY slow. Like I'm talking 10 - 15 minutes to open an application. Every time this happens I open disk utility to check on it, and it always needs to be repaired as there are folders and directories missing. However when I turn it off and go into disc utility through the install disc it doesn't let me repair it as the drive cannot be unmounted, but then the HD disappears from disk utility completely.

On top of this I tried to install XP through boot camp earlier, but the partition wouldn't format, so I went back through boot camp assistant and deleted the partition. However whenever I turn it on I have to hold down the command key and select the Macintosh HD, because if i don't it tries to boot into windows, even though the partition has been deleted and the HD merged back into the Mac HD. When I boot through the command key, the only option there is the Mac HD, so I don't know where it is getting windows from.

The battery is not what I expected in this thing either. I have put this on another post but I wanted to complain about it again. I have noticed that on a full charge i only get 6 - 7 hours browsing the internet, way off the 'approximately 10 hours'. When I go into istat menus apparently it has a cycle count of 68 and the health of the battery is 89%, which seems very low to me.

Oh and another minor thing, whenever I do manage to get it to turn on, it never remembers my settings for the back lit keyboard or the screen brightness. They are always on full whack even though I turn them down to half every time I use it.

Basically, on this fine christmas day (don't get me started on that, the dog got more presents than I did and now my mum is singing Susan Boyle at the top of her lungs... JOY) I was wondering if any of you could help me with these problems? I'm thinking I may just have to wipe the HD again and reimport everything manually but I really don't want to do that. I do love Apple Macs and I don't want to get rid of this thing, but it is driving me MENTAL.

PS. I turned the Macbook Pro on when I started writing this on my old Macbook. It is now 8 minutes later and it has still not booted. It is just sat there looking all smug with the spinny thing below the apple on the grey screen.

 

[NickZac]

Our dog always gets the most gifts as well; oddly.

In the least, you are definitely going to need to do a new install as something is corrupted. With the inconsistencies you are describing, this can have a huge affect on performance and stability.

When it gets slow, what is the temperature of the CPU and hard drive? The computer sounds as if it is reducing performance for one reason or another to 'protect' it from further damage.

Now, if disk utility can't find the hard drive, then you may have a bad hard drive which isn't uncommon. The process in which you did everything is what virtually anyone here would have done; a clean install, migrate the files. Did you update OSX before using migration assistant? (prolly makes no diff)

The 6-7 isn't bad; 10 is if you virtually do nothing on the lowest screen setting with disabled everything. All laptops are advertised in this manner and I agree that it is very frustrating as they are rating it based on settings that no user will ever use. Have you calibrated the bat yet?

EDIT: The issues you are having could also explain why your battery health is at 89% since it is doing other fluky things

 

[nufanec]

You should calibrate the battery. For its age and cycle count, the battery health suggests that it hasn't been maintained properly. Check here for information on how to calibrate your battery.

Apart from that, it could be a weird software thing that is corrupting your disk structure. Try an erase and install then set up and transfer your files manually. If that doesn't fix things you could be looking at a hard drive problem so take it to your nearest Apple Store for service.

 

[alex.purple.mac]

Thanks for that guys... that exactly what I was going to do. I think it may be a bad hard drive cos when it starts going slowly there is an odd clicking sound that sounds like it could be HD related. At about one or two clicks per second.

And both the temperature and the CPU graph thing that istat menu displays both shoot up.

Thanks for your help

 

[alex.purple.mac]

Re wiping the HD and reinstalling OSX didn't help much, after a few hours it started playing up again

Got a Genius Bar appointment for tomorrow! If they do replace the HD, will they reinstall OSX as well? And also if i take my external HD will they do a time machine install?

 

[docal97]

Well, if they replace the hard drive they will install the OS on it before you get the machine back. As far a Time Machine, you will have to do that yourself once you get the machine back home.

Let us know how it goes......

 

[alex.purple.mac]

Took it to the apple store today. The 'genius' said it was a HD failure, but said they didn't have the part in stock. I have to wait till they get it and then take it in for it to be replaced.

He also said I couldn't change it myself as it would break my warranty, but that's rubbish because I though the HD was allowed to be replaced by the user?

 

[millerb7]

Took it to the apple store today. The 'genius' said it was a HD failure, but said they didn't have the part in stock. I have to wait till they get it and then take it in for it to be replaced.

He also said I couldn't change it myself as it would break my warranty, but that's rubbish because I though the HD was allowed to be replaced by the user?

You are allowed to replace the HDD it specifically states this in the user manual and on apples site. Just wait until GJStudios gets in here with his usual warranty post

That genius was misinformed.

The only thing that it says directly is NOT user replaceable is the battery. It even tells you how to replace the HDD and RAM. The whole optibay thing is still up for discussion as it is user accessible and does not say you cannot do it, but doesn't say you can.

I know with my motorcycle, I can do whatever I want to it, and it is on the motorcycle shop to PROVE that what I did caused the problem, thus voiding the warranty. That's state law. I wouldn't see how it would be diff. with a computer... I'd imagine law is law with warranties. But if I ever have to take mine in I'd swap my optibay out for the optical drive.

 

[alex.purple.mac]

Yeah I thought he was wrong.

It would be much easier if they just gave me the HD so I could replace it myself, I cant believe he said that when they actually get the HD I could have up to a two week wait for it to be installed. Surely its a half hour job?

 

[docal97]

if they are going to do it for you, what's the problem? Do you want to pay for the drive and do it yourself? Let them handle it- they will have the part in 1-2 days.

My understanding is that RAM and HD replacements do not void the warranty. Anything else, you're on your own.

 

[sydenham]

I can't believe you are complaining about a 6 to 7 hour battery life. Did you use migration assistant at the startup screen? Or did you name the computer and use migration assistant after you were already booted. I recall that migration assistant will not let you have the same user name on the host computer as the name you are importing from. Hope this makes sense.

 

[alex.purple.mac]

I'm only complaining about 6-7 hours as apple says I should get about 10. If it was 8-9 then I wouldn't mind, but 6-7 is a third less than what I should get.

And the only problem with them replacing it is that it is going to take up to a fortnight to do. I mean, its a pretty simple job. And how can they not stock a 250Gb HD? Surely it's an essential item to keep in stock?

 

[docal97]

I'm only complaining about 6-7 hours as apple says I should get about 10. If it was 8-9 then I wouldn't mind, but 6-7 is a third less than what I should get.

And the only problem with them replacing it is that it is going to take up to a fortnight to do. I mean, its a pretty simple job. And how can they not stock a 250Gb HD? Surely it's an essential item to keep in stock?

That's just their quote. The usual time frames are much less. Relax. You will have it completed much quicker than you think. I have had many repairs done by Apple and it has always been completed much faster than quoted.

Apple cannot keep every need part in stock every day. But they do get them in very quickly in my experience unless it is a very rare part.

I have also found that if you take the computer to a store that has less traffic, repair turn around times are much quicker. I only go to the 'slower' stores now when I need genius help. The employees are much more relaxed and spend alot more time with you.

 

[cambookpro]

That's just their quote. The usual time frames are much less. Relax. You will have it completed much quicker than you think. I have had many repairs done by Apple and it has always been completed much faster than quoted.

Apple cannot keep every need part in stock every day. But they do get them in very quickly in my experience unless it is a very rare part.

I have also found that if you take the computer to a store that has less traffic, repair turn around times are much quicker. I only go to the 'slower' stores now when I need genius help. The employees are much more relaxed and spend alot more time with you.

I second this. My MBP was taken in for a faulty optical drive, it was said it would take a week, done by that evening!

 

[alex.purple.mac]

Yeah that's a fair point, I suppose it doesn't help that it is the 27th December and the first day of the sales!

 

[NickZac]

They usually turn it around pretty quickly; the quality of the HDDs used in MBPs however are probably the worst feature of a MBP. There are HDD upgrades that are faster and far more reliable and of course, SSD upgrades that are the most reliable and fastest.

 

[sydenham]

You never answered my question about how you imported from your old mac. Did you change the name of your Home folder? I suspect user error.

 

[tom139]

I'm only complaining about 6-7 hours as apple says I should get about 10. If it was 8-9 then I wouldn't mind, but 6-7 is a third less than what I should get.

And the only problem with them replacing it is that it is going to take up to a fortnight to do. I mean, its a pretty simple job. And how can they not stock a 250Gb HD? Surely it's an essential item to keep in stock?

Thank you this is my objection as well. My battery health falls and is currently 89% on 50 cycles. It is calibrated. I get nowhere near the prescribed battery life. Had 2 replacements already. I believe I have the same machine as you...(MPB 2010, 13").

 

[sydenham]

Thank you this is my objection as well. My battery health falls and is currently 89% on 50 cycles. It is calibrated. I get nowhere near the prescribed battery life. Had 2 replacements already. I believe I have the same machine as you...(MPB 2010, 13").

Two battery replacements? You should probably spend more time reading instead of wasting Apples time....